舞 踏 会(ぶとうかい)

ぶとうかい

noun

ball; dance party

1. ball; formal dance party

A formal social gathering for Western-style dancing, such as a ball at a palace or in a fairy tale. The word has a Western, often old-fashioned or storybook flavor.

舞踏会(ぶとうかい)に行(い)く。

To go to the ball.

シンデレラは舞踏会(ぶとうかい)で王子(おうじ)と出会(であ)った。

Cinderella met the prince at the ball.

明治(めいじ)時代(じだい)には、鹿鳴館(ろくめいかん)で外国(がいこく)の客(きゃく)を招(まね)いた舞踏会(ぶとうかい)がよく開(ひら)かれた。

In the Meiji era, balls for foreign guests were often held at the Rokumeikan.

舞踏(ぶとう) (dancing, especially Western dance) + 会(かい) (gathering). On its own, 舞踏(ぶとう) also names Butoh, the Japanese avant-garde dance form, but 舞踏会(ぶとうかい) always means a Western-style ball.

Common collocations

舞踏会(ぶとうかい)を開(ひら)く: to hold a ball
仮面舞踏会(かめんぶとうかい): masked ball, masquerade
舞踏会(ぶとうかい)に招待(しょうたい)される: to be invited to a ball

Similar words

ダンスパーティー: dance party — the everyday, modern word
盆踊(ぼんおど)り: Bon dance — the traditional Japanese summer community dance

Related Words

Compare: 盆踊(ぼんおど)り (Bon dance)

general

Added 2026.10.19 9:21 · Revised 2026.10.19 9:24

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